Orange County Digest

Newport Beach : City Council to Vote on 888-Unit Development

A proposed 888-unit residential and commercial development at the northeast corner of Jamboree Road and Bison Avenue will come up for public hearing and a vote at tonight's City Council meeting. The North Ford Planned Community proposal had been on the council's agenda earlier this month but was postponed at the council's request.

The 125-acre Irvine Co. development would include a 50,000-square-foot retail area on the southern end of the site. Housing plans call for 596 apartments, 172 single-family houses and 120 condominiums.

Dave Dmohowski, government relations manager for the Irvine Co., said grading on the site is under way and construction of the residential units could begin this summer if plans are approved.

No plans have been developed for the retail portion, but Dmohowski said the Irvine Co. probably would present the council with plans for a "small-scale neighborhood center" in about a year.